The Popes: A History

Well known for his histories of Norman Sicily, Venice, the Byzantine Empire and the Mediterranean, John Julius Norwich has now turned his attention to the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter himself - traditionally (though by no means historically) the first pope - to the present Benedict XVI.Of the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unques­tionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable iniquity.

The Romanovs: 1613-1918

The Romanovs were the most successful dynasty of modern times, ruling a sixth of the world's surface. How did one family turn a war-ruined principality into the world's greatest empire? And how did they lose it all? This is the intimate story of 20 tsars and tsarinas, some touched by genius, some by madness, but all inspired by holy autocracy and imperial ambition.

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World

The sun is setting on the Western world. Slowly but surely, the direction in which the world spins has reversed: where for the last five centuries the globe turned westward on its axis, it now turns to the east.... For centuries, fame and fortune were to be found in the West - in the New World of the Americas. Today it is the East that calls out to those in search of adventure and riches. The region stretching from Eastern Europe and sweeping right across Central Asia, deep into China and India, is taking center stage.

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years

Once in a generation, a historian will redefine his field, producing a book that demands to be read or heard - a product of electrifying scholarship conveyed with commanding skill. Diarmaid MacCulloch's Christianity is such a book. Breathtaking in ambition, it ranges back to the origins of the Hebrew Bible and covers the world, following the three main strands of the Christian faith.

The English and Their History

In The English and their History, the first full-length account to appear in one volume for many decades, Robert Tombs gives us the history of the English people and of how the stories they have told about themselves have shaped them, from the prehistoric 'dreamtime' through to the present day.

Conquerors: How Portugal Seized the Indian Ocean and Forged the First Global Empire

As remarkable as Columbus and the conquistador expeditions, the history of Portuguese exploration is now almost forgotten. But Portugal's navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India and beat the Spanish to the spice kingdoms of the East - then set about creating the first long-range maritime empire.

All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain's Political Class

Based on unrivalled access to all the key politicians and their advisors - including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, George Osborne, Nigel Farage and Dominic Cummings, the mastermind of Vote Leave - Shipman has written a political history that reads like a thriller and offers a gripping day-by-day account of what really happened behind the scenes in Downing Street, both Leave campaigns, the Labour Party, Ukip and Britain Stronger in Europe.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.

In the Shadow of the Sword: The Battle for Global Empire and the End of the Ancient World

In the 6th century AD, the Near East was divided between two venerable empires: the Persian and the Roman. A hundred years on and one had vanished forever, while the other seemed almost finished. Ruling in their place were the Arabs: an upheaval so profound that it spelt, in effect, the end of the ancient world. In The Shadow of the Sword, Tom Holland explores how this came about.

Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939

For all the literature about Adolf Hitler, there have been just four seminal biographies; this is the fifth, a landmark work that sheds important new light on Hitler himself. Drawing on previously unseen papers and a wealth of recent scholarly research, Volker Ullrich reveals the man behind the public persona, from Hitler's childhood, to his failures as a young man in Vienna, to his experiences during the First World War, to his rise as a far-right party leader.

The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

Virtually all human societies were once organized tribally, yet over time most developed new political institutions which included a central state that could keep the peace and uniform laws that applied to all citizens. Some went on to create governments that were accountable to their constituents. We take these institutions for granted, but they are absent or are unable to perform in many of today's developing countries-with often disastrous consequences for the rest of the world.

Hitler: A Biography

Hailed as the most compelling biography of the German dictator yet written, Ian Kershaw's Hitler brings us closer than ever before to the heart of its subject's immense darkness. From his illegitimate birth in a small Austrian village to his fiery death in a bunker under the Reich chancellery in Berlin, Adolf Hitler left a murky trail, strewn with contradictory tales and overgrown with self-created myths. One truth prevails: the sheer scale of the evils that he unleashed on the world has made him a demonic figure without equal in the 20th century.

Hitler's Hangman: The Life of Heydrich

Reinhard Heydrich is widely recognized as one of the great iconic villains of the 20th century, an appalling figure even within the context of the Nazi leadership. Chief of the Nazi Criminal Police, the SS Security Service, and the Gestapo, ruthless overlord of Nazi-occupied Bohemia and Moravia, and leading planner of the "Final Solution," Heydrich played a central role in Hitler's Germany.

The Story of the Jews: Finding the Words, 1000 BCE - 1492

It is a story like no other: an epic of endurance against destruction, of creativity in oppression, joy amidst grief, the affirmation of life against the steepest of odds. It spans the millennia and the continents - from India to Andalusia and from the bazaars of Cairo to the streets of Oxford. It takes you to unimagined places: to a Jewish kingdom in the mountains of southern Arabia; a Syrian synagogue glowing with radiant wall paintings; the palm groves of the Jewish dead in the Roman catacombs.

Empire of Things: How We Became a World of Consumers, from the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First

What we consume has become the defining feature of our lives: our economies live or die by spending, we are treated more as consumers than workers and even public services are presented to us as products in a supermarket. In this monumental study, acclaimed historian Frank Trentmann unfolds the extraordinary history that has shaped our material world, from late Ming China, Renaissance Italy and the British Empire to the present.

The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815-1914

The Pursuit of Power draws on a lifetime of thinking about 19th-century Europe to create an extraordinarily rich, surprising and entertaining panorama of a continent undergoing drastic change. The aim of this audiobook is to reignite the sense of wonder that permeated this remarkable era, as rulers and ruled navigated overwhelming cultural, political and technological changes.

Rasputin: The Biography

A hundred years after his murder, Rasputin continues to excite the popular imagination as the personification of evil. The spectre of the lustful Siberian holy man and peasant still casts its eerie shadow over Russia's bloody 20th century. Numerous biographies, novels, and films recount his mysterious rise to power as Nicholas and Alexandra's confidant and guardian of the sickly heir to the throne.

Publisher's Summary

Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of three faiths; it is the prize of empires, the site of Judgement Day, and the battlefield of today's clash of civilizations. From King David to Barack Obama, from the birth of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to the Israel-Palestine conflict, this is the epic history of 3,000 years of faith, slaughter, fanaticism, and coexistence.

How did this small, remote town become the Holy City, the 'centre of the world' and now the key to peace in the Middle East? In a gripping narrative, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals this ever-changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life. Jerusalem's biography is told through the wars, love affairs, and revelations of the men and women - kings, empresses, prophets, poets, saints, conquerors, and whores - who created, destroyed, chronicled and believed in Jerusalem.

Drawing on new archives, current scholarship, his own family papers, and a lifetime's study, Montefiore illuminates the essence of sanctity and mysticism, identity, and empire in a unique chronicle of the city that many believe will be the setting for the Apocalypse. This is how Jerusalem became Jerusalem, and the only city that exists twice - in heaven and on Earth. Read by John Lee.

At a number of points throughout "Jerusalem" I found myself thinking "How did he learn all this stuff and how is he managing to set it down in such a readable way?" The scope of the period covered by Simon Sebag Montefiore; the birth of civilization in the fertile crescent to the current day; presents real problems. The thing could just become a survey of historical events; it could get bogged down in detail or leave the listener dissatisfied by seeming to skim over crucial events. He avoids all of those pitfalls partly by opting to tell the story of Jerusalem through a number of families who shaped its history. So we get a gallery of intriguing and in some cases very obscure characters who are all fascinating company and who help to give a sense of the story barrelling along while also allowing Montefiore to slow down when he thinks it necessary and really explore a topic.

The city and it's buildings also feature with a satisfying level of detail about where the remains of ancient buildings can still be found in sometimes hidden corners of contemporary Jerusalem. As we get nearer to the modern day the author offers what seems like a fair and balanced account of the claims and behaviours of the various groups who still tussle for control of the city as a whole and the religious sites within it. I'm not religious so I just wanted this aspect of the book to feel like it was treating all parties with a bit of respect and so it did. The other way he grips the listener is through consistently excellent writing.

In addition to the absolutely excellent book itself praise is also due to John Lee, who narrates and the producers. Lee manages some pretty daunting pronunciations well throughout; he's clear as a bell and sounds like he's actually reading the book rather than just reciting it thoughtlessly. It's always nice when good narration makes a positive contribution to the listening experience.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

There was a lot in this book that was interesting and informative but it somehow couldn't hold my attention for long periods of time. In small chunks I found it worthwhile and I never felt like giving up on it but often took a break from it. As a result, it took me a lot longer than usual to get through it.

Would you recommend Jerusalem to your friends? Why or why not?

Probably not. I might suggest it to a friend who had an interest in the subject but I don't think it would inspire anyone if the interest wasn't already there.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

I had no problem with John Lee's narration It suited the subject.

Did Jerusalem inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

I started off being very interested but as the book went on, each episode seemed to be dealt with in the same way and at a similar pace. It is a long book and my interest steadily waned. I always listen to unabridged versions but perhaps, in this case, I would have been better making an exception.

The author is perhaps most insightful when he gets to the more recent history, but the book is quite an achievement nonetheless. I found the narration irritating because the British English reader had plainly been told to use American English pronunciation; I couldn't get over the incongruity of it!

If you have any desire to understand the current situation in the Middle East this is a great place to start. Seeing how the region has changed over the centuries helps to tie together very complex strands that are otherwise impossible to appreciate. This is a work of incredible breadth, staggering research and yet retains charm by way of delightful excursions and meanders. There are so many great characters brought to life that will provide you with the impetus for further research. 25 hours well spent! A note on the voice, I wasn't that happy with it from the sample but it grows on you and he does a great job.

This is a book I should rather have read in print. That would have the added benefit of being able to look at the countless maps and illustrations, none of which is included in the Audible edition (inexplicably, given the ease of providing a pdf file).

Jerusalem is a city with a fascinating history, and Montefiore does about as good a job of telling this history as one could wish for. (The book doubtless deserves its countless rave reviews, and John Lee's narration is also excellent).

However, at times hour after hour of narration involving a constant succession of potted descriptions of conquests, rebellions - and the atrocities involved - becomes hard to absorb and leaves one's head spinning. Like an account of thirty football games in direct succession, one loses score and can't remember who did what to whom - just that it was exceedingly bloody.*

This is true mainly for earlier parts of the book (after a few hours I almost decided to stop listening); I found the later actors and events, which are dealt with at greater length, easier to remember.

I listen to audiobooks - most of them intellectually quite challenging - while painting; somebody who does nothing else while listening may find the whole of the book easier to absorb.

* "In “Jerusalem: The Biography,” Simon Sebag Montefiore unleashes so many kings, killers, prophets, pretenders, caliphs and crusaders, all surfing an ocean of blood, that the reader may begin to long for redemption, not from the book, which is impossible to put down, but from history itself." - Jonathan Rosen in a review of the book in the NYTimes, Oct. 28, 2011.

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